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Fluorination of Uranium Metal to UF3 and UF4 by Nitrogen Trifluoride: Evidence for Elusive UF2

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 February 2011

Bruce K McNamara ,
Randall Scheele ,
Andrew M Casella ,
Anne E Kozelisky  and
Doinita Neiner
Bruce K McNamara
Affiliation:
bruce.mcnamara@pnl.gov, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington, United States
Randall Scheele
Affiliation:
randall.scheele@pnl.gov, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington, United States
Andrew M Casella
Affiliation:
andrew.casella@pnl.gov, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington, United States
Anne E Kozelisky
Affiliation:
anne.kozelisky@pnl.gov, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington, United States
Doinita Neiner
Affiliation:
neiner.doinita@pnl.gov, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington, United States
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Abstract

We have recently found that uranium and plutonium metals will react with nitrogen trifluoride (NF3) at temperatures below 120°C. These are the first reported instances of such low temperature fluorination reactions using NF3 and implicate metal catalyzed dissociation of the NF3 bond. We additionally present preliminary evidences for a surface mediated product distribution. Reaction of uranium metal with NF3 promotes products that are apparently determined by the concentration of the fluorinating reagent between temperatures of 60 to 120°C.

Keywords

surface chemistryactinidethermogravimetric analysis (TGA)
Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 1264: Symposia Z/BB – Basic Actinide Science and Materials for Nuclear Applications , 2010 , 1264-Z06-03
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2010

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